Tomorrow marks 50 years since a bombing campaign started in the Republic of Ireland that included the deaths of two children in Belturbet on 28th of December 1972.
On the 1st of December two car bombs exploded on Eden Quay and at Sackville Place in Dublin injuring dozens of people and causing the deaths of two young busmen, George Bradshaw and Tommy Duffy.
At 10:28pm on the 28th of December a car bomb exploded outside Farrelly's Bar and McGowan's Drapery along Belturbet's main street. 16-year-old Patrick Stanley and 15-year-old Geraldine O'Reilly, died instantly while eight more people were injured.
Three bombs exploded that day, the first of which went off in Clones at 10am and then after the Belturbet Bomb there was a third bomb in Pettigo in Co Donegal. Five weeks later, on the 20th of January 1973, another car bomb exploded, again in Sackville Place, killing another young busman, Tommy Douglas, and seriously injuring several others.
Nobody has ever been charged or convicted in connection with the bombings. In October, Cavan Gardai renewed their appeal for anyone with information in relation to the Belturbet bombing to come forward.
Tomorrow, Thursday the 1st of December, Justice for the Forgotten will mark the 50th anniversary by holding a wreath-laying ceremony to honour and remember the three busmen at the site of the pavement memorial: 'A Fallen Bouquet' in Sackville Place.
The event will begin at 12 noon when the Lord Mayor of Dublin, Caroline Conroy; the Minister for Education, Norma Foley; Justice for the Forgotten and family members will lay wreaths. Margaret Urwin of Justice for the Forgotten also appealed to those with information to come forward.
